Canopy



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN COLE, JR., OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

CANOPY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,984, dated February 6, 1894.

Application tiled February l 0, 1893. Serial No. 461,758. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WARREN COLE, .I r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Knoxville, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Canopies; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in canopies for beds, couches and like furniture, and it has particular reference to that class which is arranged to fold or swing from over the bed, or couch, and out of the way, when not in use.

It has for its object to produce an arrangement which can be easily applied to an ordinary bedstead and adjusted to the proper width and length, and one which can be more readily thrown back when not in use.

To this end it consists, generally stated, of a frame constructed preferably of metal, and arranged to automatically swing or fold back out of the way upon having its free end released. It also consists of certain details of construction and arrangement or combination of parts which will be fully described hereinafter and finally embodied in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which show an arrangement having the essential elements of my invention, Figure l, represents a perspective view of a bed supplied with my improvements, and Fig. 2, a detail view showing more plainly ythe bracket or support by which the frame is secured to the bed.

The reference letter a, indicates a bed of ordinary or any preferred construction, having as usual the head and foot-boards b, b. To the head-board b are secured my improvements. This is done by means of the brackets c. These are formed of metal, preferably of cast steel,.and provided with arms d, and d. Arm d, is secured by means'of screws or bolts, passing through openings therein, to the head-board of the bed, as before stated, in such a position that the arm d', will extend horizontally and parallel with the vertical sides of the head-board. Two of these brackets are provided for the canopy, each being used to support one of the side portions of the frame, as will more fully appear hereinafter. The arm d', of the bracket c, is formed in the shape of an angle iron in crosssection and arranged with its respective sides, horizontal and vertical. In the horizontal portion or side of the arm d', is formed a seriesvof openings or recesses e, extending entirely through it; the vertical portion having its upper edge formed with a series of notches or indentations e', conforming in number and alignment to the holes e, in the horizontal portion.

The frame of my invent-ion consists of the curved metallic side bars j", f joined at their outer ends by means of across-bar or connecting piece g, secured thereto in any preferred manner. The inner ends of the bars f, andf, are each curved downwardly and formed so that a spiral or helical spring g', of several coils is formed. The extreme inner ends of the bars f, and f', are formed or bent at right angles to the remaining portion and adapted to tit into the holes e, in the horizontal portion of the arm d.- From thence it extends up and over the edge of the vertical portion, it being held securely and prevented from swinging laterally by means of the notches e', into one of which it fits. The helical spring g', is constructed with a tendency to throw the arms f, and f', into a vertical position, such being the normal condition of the arm.

' By means of the opening e in the brackets c, the arms f, f may be moved toward or from each other to compensate for the difference between the size of the canopy netting and the width of the bed. Thus if the netting was one size and the bed wider than the netting, it would bel necessary to move the arms toward each other so that they would conform to the width of the netting. In practice this condition of affairs will very often, if not always, occur, for the netting on the market at present is adapted to be used in connection with the usual hanging supports which are always smaller or narrower than the bed.

Secured to the frame of the canopy ,is the netting 7L, which may be of any suitable quality or kind. This nettingis arranged to hang loosely from the frame and when the canopy is in the position shown in Fig. 1, to drop or hang from the frame and cover the bed as is usual in this class of inventions. Connected to the outer ends of bars f, and f', are the cords i, preferably two in number, and joined at their lower ends to a tassel, or an ornamental handle il. These cords are arranged to be connected at their lower ends to the button or thumb screw j, fastened to the foot-board of the bed. By this means the canopy frame is held in a horizontal position, against the tendency of the spring g.

When it is desired to use the canopy in connection with a bed, it is secured in position, as previously explained and the arms f, and f', drawn down to a substantially horizontal or overhanging position, and secured in such by means of the cords t', and button j, the netting 71 being allowed to hang from the frame and envelop the bed, as previously explained. To fold the canopy back and ont of the way, as will be desirous when it is not preferred to use the canopy, all that will be necessary is to unfasten or release the cords z', whereupon the frame and its attachment will, of its tendency, swing back to a vertical position, thereby disposing of the netting. This operation is shown in Fig. 1.

The function of the resilient armsf, f is twofold: First. By means of their peculiar properties when the ends are secured by the cords t', they will describe a curve or arch over the body of the bed, thus permitting the arms to be arranged so low on the headboard a that when swung to a vertical position they will not be aected by the ceiling, and yet render it possible for a person to get in and out of the bed without striking the arms or canopy netting supported by them. This is shown in dotted and full lines in Fig. 1. Second. If the ceiling should be so low that it would be impossible to prevent its contact with the arms when raised, all harm which would otherwise result from such contact, is avoided by the capability of the arms to bend and conform themselves to the ceiling, and not strike them so violently as to harm the ceiling or themselves.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. Ina canopy frame, the combination of an arm `having one of its ends formed into a coiled or helical spring which spring is adapted to be secured to the bed, the said spring giving the arm a tendency to assume a vertical position, and means foi holding the arm in a horizontal position against the tendency of the spring, substantially as described.

2. In a canopy frame, the combination of a bracket adapted to be secured to the bed, a portion of which bracket extends in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal position of the bed and is provided with a series of openings extending in a line therewith, a spring arm secured to the bracket by means of the openings therein and having by reason of its inherent spring properties a tendency to assume a vertical position, and means for holding the arm in a horizontal position against its spring tendency, substantially as described.

3. In a canopy frame, the combination of a bracket adapted to be secured to the bed, an arm having one of its ends formed into a spring and thereat secured to the bracket, said spring giving the arm a tendency to assuine a vertical position, and means for holding the arm in a horizontal position against the tendency of the spring, substantially as described.

4.. In a canopy for beds, the combination of a bracket adapted to be secured to the bed, an arm having its end formed into a coiled or helical spring and thereat secured to the bracket, said spring giving the arm a tendency to assume a vertical position, means for holding the arm in a horizontal position against the tendency of the coiled or helical spring, and netting secured to the arm and arranged to envelop the bed, substantially as described.

5. In a canopy frame, the combination of a bracket adapted to be secured to the bed, a portion of which bracket extends in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal position of the bed and is provided with a series of openings extending in a line with the said portion of the bracket, an arm having one formed into a spring and thereat secured to the bracket by means of the openings therein, said spring giving the arm a tendency to assume a vertical position against the tendency of the spring, and means for holding the arm in a horizontal position, substantially as described.

6. In a canopy frame, the combination of a bracket adapted to be secured to the bed, a portion of which bracket extends in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal position of the bed and is provided with a series of openings extending in a line with the said portion of the bracket, an arm having one end formed into a coiled or helical spring and thereat secured to the bracket by means of the openings therein, said coiled or helical spring giving the arm a tendency to assume a vertical position, and means for holding the arm in a horizontal position against the tendency of the spring, substantially as set forth and described.

7. In a canopy for beds, couches and like furniture, the combination of a pair of brackets secured to the head or foot-board thereof, an arm on each of said brackets, and having formed therein a series of corresponding, holes and notches, a pair of bars or arms, having their inner extremities formed into a helical spring and secured to the arms of said ICO bracket through the medium of the holes and sition against the tendency of the said heliro notches, a cross-bar connecting the outer ends cal spring.

0f the said bars, netting secured to the bars In testimony/whereof Iafx my signature 1n and cross-bar and .arranged to envelop the presence of tWo Witnesses.

bed, cords depending from the outer ends of the said bars and a button fixed to the foot- WARREN COLE JR' board of the bed, by means of which the Witnesses: cords are fastened to the foot-board and the -F. D. GRIFFITH,

frame of the canopy held in a horizontal po- E. J. PRATT. 

